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NATOMAS -- A house fire in Natomas was spreading Saturday afternoon from the garage of one home to the roof of the neighboring home as two people and several pets became temporarily trapped.

The people inside were able to escape but several pets were in danger of dying in the intense heat as thick smoke billowed from the blaze.

A mail carrier, Robert Sweeney, was walking his route when he spotted the fire. He grabbed a garden hose and started spraying it, standing in the dense smoke while two people tried to get the pets out.

Sweeney was featured on "The Oprah Winfrey Show" and given a citizen hero award by the American Red Cross when, in 2008, he saved the life of a baby girl, Kelly Jimenez.

Kelly was having a seizure and her panicked mother found Sweeney, again while he was walking his route. Sweeney gave the infant CPR until paramedics arrived.

In Saturday's fire, firefighters say they eventually recovered four cats and two birds. When the fire investigator arrived on scene, they were still looking for a snake, a lizard and another cat.